(AN I realise that I have been spelling Rommie's name wrong and I apologise I have fixed that, also please forgive any errors in grammar I am severely Dyslexic)

It had been several months since Dylan or the crew heard from the two ships or there Ai's, in that time the commonwealth had grown by several dozen worlds for Dylan's charter, and several hundred ships and two guard stations along with one permanent ship dock hidden in a secure system that is patrolled by two fully restored battle groups.

Using the new ship dock they began to commission new ships to add to the fleet already two ships had been completed, both new in their design and function they were curser class slip carriers, they are designed as a mobile command base their main offence is the amount of slip fighters they carry their defence is twenty defence PDL turrets and defensive missiles.

The Hood and Bismarck also recovered an additional three battle group of ships out of that number just over a quarter of those recovered were salvageable, those that couldn't be salvaged had their Ai cores taken ready to be used on new ships and there parts used to salvage others. All in all things were really starting to look up.

In another system the Andromeda was in full battle mode, chasing down a target with the help of their new allies the aquatic Castaliens, the target, a single drone configured to reed as a Nietzschean destroyer, when the aquatic ships finally got into position to attack they didn't deploy any countermeasures, Dylan was on the verge of pulling his hair out as one by one the drone 'destroyed' them. Tyr haven grow tiered in this exercise in futility pressed one button launching a barrage at the drone destroying it. Dylan looked to the robotic avatar of the ship

"How bad?" he asked wiping his face in a vain attempt to wipe what he had just seen.

"The enemy destroyer was eliminated, but Castailen casualties are still high, five of their ships are down and the planet was bombarded estimated civilian casualties are five million."

"That's allot of sushi" joked Beka, Harper barely suppressing a laugh

"It's not funny Beka" scolded Dylan

"Pretty darn funny from hear" she responded Tyr also suppressing a laugh while Rommie pinched the bridge of her artificial nose.

"If you are all finished insulting our allies" he stated while Beka made a cheeky face with her tong sticking out over her top lip "the point of these exorcizes is to improve there moral not destroy it"

"Look Dylan if you think that Aquaman and the Silver Surfer are going to help against the Magog you might as well cover yourself in steak sauce and avoid the rush" noticing that no one got the reference "did you people ever go to school"

"Rommie how many target drones did you launch?" asked Beka looking perplexed at the sight before her on the screen.

"Five, why?"

"Well a ship just made its way through the entire Castalian fleet"

"And they didn't stop it what a complete surprise" came the sarcastic response of Tyr

"Captain the bogey reeds as a modified Commonwealth currier vessel"

"That's a high guard ship"

"And it's hailing us" Andromeda stated. On the screen came amid twenties man of Indian or half cast decent in crimson high guard uniform,

"This is lieutenant Jamal brown I have an urgent message for Captain Dylan Hunt" he stated crisply

"This is Dylan Hunt"

"Oh whoa, oh whoa Brady is going to spit that I found you first" he exclaimed in excitement, then realizing to whom he was addressing he stood at attention and saluted an apology.

"What is this about lieutenant?"

"Have a message for you sir from your intended Sarah Riley"

As soon as the name left the young man's lips Dylan was assaulted by memories of better times and holding his love in his arms on the beaches of Tarn-Vedra.

He took the message in his personal quarters unsure how he would react to seeing her again. When the message played he saw that she had done what he had hoped for she had moved on, it hurt more that he thought possible as she showed her heavily pregnant belly, jealousy and sorrow filled him, jealous that she had love that it wasn't him that gave her that child and jealousy over the man who had, as it finished he allowed himself to cry for the first time in years. As it all came crashing down on him what he had lost and what was now forever out of his grasp.

It took an hour before he came out of his quarters, as he left he came face to face with Rommie

"She was a remarkable woman" she said with an edge of jealousy, not sure how to respond

"Yes, yes she was"

"Rev Bem is in hydroponics" she said with concern

"I don't need counseling Rommie, I'm fine"

"You don't look fine"

"I have to have your visual sensors looked at that was the best message I could have gotten" Rommie didn't believe him "now I don't haft to wonder what happened, now I can see she is alright" Rommie looked at him realizing what he said "was alright you know what I mean" he waved off he missed the slightly hurt look in her eyes. "Send the lieutenant to my quarters I have a few questions for him" as he headed back.

Back with the Fleet both Hood and Bismarck felt that something was wrong with Andromeda, opening communications with the third battle group,

"This is Sands of Time what can I do for you" asked the Ai in charge of the third battle group, he was a Nietzschean, large and intimidating his eyes were a deep green, his hair was black and he was of African decant.

"We need your battle group for an assignment with us have the forth takeover from you then report to us" said Otto the blond haired Ai with his heavy Prussian accent.

"Yes sir" he saluted.

The third was a solid midsized battle group with twelve ships in total five Glorious Heritage classes, Sands of Time, Raven, Thor's hammer, Empresses Might and Way of truth. Three Eternal Vigilance classes the Storm, Typhoon and the Nebula, and four Righteous Fist of Heaven classes the Enterprise, Yorktown, Guardsman and Indomitable Spirit.

It took about an hour to get the ships into position before they entered slip space in formation; using their tracking system they reentered normal space at the Castailian home world of Castalia. Opening communications they reached a stunned Andromeda.

"This is the third battle group to Andromeda do you copy" said the avatar of the Hood as he sat in the pilots chair.

"This is Andromeda we are receiving" said the Andromeda Ai

"Is everything alright we had a strange feeling that something was wrong" said Sam in concern

"You brought a battle group of this size because you had a feeling" stated the stunned computer

"Well you are family besides, we would haft to speak with the captain any way" said Otto

Five minuets earlier in the Andromeda Dylan Hunts quarters office.

"Its Called Terra-Zed sir" spoke the LT who was standing at perfect attention "it's the forth rock out from a yellow dwarf at the ass end of the triangulum Galaxy" realizing that what he said was in appropriate "excuse my Vedran sir"

"You are excused" he said smiling slightly, it had been a long time since he had been in the company of another military officer. "I have never heard of Terra-Zed"

"Who has, as far as we know sir we were the last remnant of the old Commonwealth" shuffling slightly under the gaze of the Captain "we have everything sir" he stated with excitement "a triumvir a conclave the home guard, the only thing we don't have is the Empress herself sir"

"One planet coming through the chaos unscathed" he said giving into his suspicions "how"

"Don't ask me I wasn't there" he said smirking slightly "but my great, great, great, great grandparents were, war refugees from hear mostly"

"From the Andromeda Ascendant"

"And the Starry Wisdom there wife's and kids and extended families, Sarah Riley rounded up everyone who has ever heard of you and settled them on Terra-Zed we've been weighting ever since"

Once he had finished speaking the holographic avatar of the Andromeda appeared

"Waiting for what?" she asked

"The restart the commonwealth of course" he said dutifully "Sarah Riley said you'd be back and she was right" Andromeda paused for a second then stated

"Sir the Hood and Bismarck have returned with the third battle group and are awaiting inspection" the young Lieutenant looked confused. "They are awaiting you at the hanger bay"

"Third battle group sir?" on the small screen in front of Dylan was the Third battle group each ship there armament IFFs and battle record. He looked up from the screen to the young Lieutenant. He stood up straining his uniform,

"I'm going to haft to ask you to change into your formal wear Lieutenant" showing the young man to the door "you and I are going to do the first inspection of the Commonwealth's third battle group" he said grabbing a pad and handing it to the startled man "if you don't have formal wear ask Andromeda I'm sure she can provide you with one Lieutenant" as the doors shut, a few minutes later he immerged in red and blue tunic with Commodore insignia in gold and made his way to the hanger bay. He hated this uniform it was tight on the neck which made the tunic itch every other step, as he walked he was joined by Rommie also in best red dress uniform, the sight almost made him stubble, her tunic was tighter that most of her other uniforms and accentuated he bust and figure, the gray skirt showed off her tanned and toned legs that to him seemed to go on forever, shaking his head slightly he continued on, as they reached the doors they were greeted by young Lieutenant Brown also in his best uniform, borrowed from Andromeda. As the doors opened they were greeted by two lines of mechanical Lancers, force lances extended to full length each standing at perfect attention in honor guard style.

Marching down the line with the young Lieutenant and Andromeda he was greeted with his first look of the Avatars for each vessel they each saluted crisply. Each Avatar stepped forward identifying themselves and their ship in turn. After saluting each he turned to Sam and Otto.

"You have done well these past eight months" he said impressed "how many battle groups are operational?"

"Four, sir we also have several more in dry dock getting repaired and refitted" said the blond "although initial estimates may be off slightly Commodore"

"By how much Otto"

"We may only be able to get seven to eight battle groups, we are using allot of our recourses fixing the other ships, we also have a lead on at least two maybe three full battle groups in Drago-Kazof territory"

"Where?" he asked in disbelief

"Drago-Kazof territory though we are not sure where, the only one that dose is the Clarions Call he's an old Lancer troop transport the Nightsiders are using him as a low market casino"

"What, how the hell did they capture him in the first place?"

"I believe that the Drago-Kazof disabled their internal defenses when they were first captured but we are unable to learn how he escaped exactly"

"Well go get him find out where those ships are and bring them back into the fold"

"Sir the Hood and I shall proceed with rescue and repair operations at once" he clicked his heels saluted and then boarded his lancer drop ship along with Hood and departed.

"Sands" he called as the African Nietzschean came forward. "Assemble the fleet V formation prepare to synchronies your slip drives and computers to Andromeda's pilot station and prepare for departure" the Nietzschean

The young lieutenant looked at the Commodore.

"Your bring the fleet to Terra-Zed?" he asked

"Yes they need a proper shake down and I think that the people of Terra-zed need to see that we have the power to protect them should they wish to rejoin the commonwealth" he stated as Dylan surveyed the one hundred strong squad of robotic lancers still standing at attention. "Lancers Dismissed" they turned and departed the Hanger and began what would be regular deity's. Two on every door to vital sections, the rest patrolled the corridors or weighted for assignment from Andromeda in the security bay.

"Should I report this to the Terra-Zed's home guard?" he asked

"Tell them I will be brining a defense fleet with me on a shakedown cruise" he stated

"Yes sir" he saluted and headed off to get changed and make his report to the home guard twenty minutes later he was gone.

On the bridge the Hood Ai contacted the Commodore

"Sir we are ready to depart"

"Very well bring those ships home Sam" he said kindly

"Don't worry sir we will" and with that the transmission shifted to the two ships coming about and leaving the system. It took mere moments for the battle group to shift and fall in with the Andromeda at the lead after transmitting his report to the Castaliens and his advice he departed with the fleet and in a flash they were gone.

In slip space the two battle ships were in communications with each other.

"If reports are right he is being used as a tourist trap" stated the brunette

"Not for long" stated the blonde. "Lancer Battalions 5-15 online and prepare to board"

As soon as they exited slip space they were almost point blank with the former Lancer vessel immediately breaching pods and other boarding vessels hit the ship. Inside tourists and Nightsiders were jostled to the floor with hits from the breeching pods. As the troops poured into the ship the security force didn't have enough time to even raze a weapon. Everyone Nightsider or not was brought into the main casino floor. All the games and other accoutrements were destroyed as the people watched as the lancers formed up to cover each one of them. The doors opened in walked the identical men.

"Lades and gentlemen you are all under arrest" said the blond

"On what charge" a Nightsider shouted

"Illegal appropriation of Commonwealth technology, i.e. the Clarions Call"

"We bought this ship" a Nightsider shouted

"Bill of sale" he asked

The Nightsider produced a document with a sneer, the two took it then analysed it.

"This is a very good document" said the brunette "unfortunately this is not a Commonwealth sale slip, it is not a legal document for this ship" he said

"What Commonwealth it was destroyed three hundred years ago there is no commonwealth" it sneered

"That is no longer the case and because this ship is being used illegally and all the people on it are accessories to said illegality you all face a total of fifty years in a Commonwealth prison" all the people began to panic as the lancers advanced "or" he spoke

"Or what" asked a pail Nightsider

"You may be allowed to leave without the prison sentence if"

"If?"

"If you relinquish any wrights to this vessel nothing will come of this and you are free to leave alive and well"

"What's the catch?"

"The catch is if we ever see you again you will disappear never to be seen again"

Nodding fast, he ran for his life followed by the tourists the only one left was the avatar of the ship.

"Now what's your name" asked the blond

"Ryan"

"You are the avatar of the Clarions Call" asked the brunette the dark haired man nodded.

The Lancers filled out as the blond man grabbed the avatar, and brought him to his own ship the two vessels launched the mobile dock. In about an hour the Clarions call was looking brand new. The avatar's Ai was in a body that was regulation standard. The only problem was the slip drive, as they analysed the engine the more they were shocked it looked like it had bin cobbled together from at least for different ship classes. When they confronted Ryan about it he broke down and told them everything. As they fitted a new drive and gave him a garrison of lancers to look after, he was grateful for the trust and being put back into service he gave the coordinates for the fleet and they jumped to slip space as soon as the Clarions call ready, headed to Tartarus.

Mean while, the third battle group just jumped from slip space to normal space, where they were greeted by a small fleet of slip fighters, they all fell into formation on an honour guard on communications a beautiful woman came onto the screen.

"Captain Hunt, welcome I am first triumvir Rakel Ben-Tzion" she said "I hope you don't mind we've arranged a little greeting although we weren't expecting such a large fleet"

"Don't worry the third battle group needs a good shake down cruse that they wouldn't get normally" he smiled

"I hope you like marching bands" she said as the message terminated.

Dylan looked to Beka who smiled slightly at him

"Analysis Andromeda" he said as he began to scan the ships with his console "is Madam Triumvir a killer android or what"

"Who cares" said Harper dreamily "what a babe"

"Harper stop being so predictable" said Trance in a jealous tone

"Intercepting planetary communications" said Rommie "free press from all evidence Terra-Zed is what it appears to be, a peaceful productive democracy"

"Your Commonwealth" said Beka

Dylan was silent for a time before deciding on course of action

"take us in"